This invention relates generally to tapered nestable utility tote containers of the type fabricated from corrugated sheet materials, and particularly to a utility tote container having side walls and end walls that may be unfastened so the tote container may be unfolded to a flat blank, and refolded to an upright configuration and refastened.
A suitable reference point for considering the state of the prior art for tote containers of the type fabricated from a generally planar blank of corrugated sheet material is U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,727 to Stoll. The Stoll '727 patent discloses a tapered nestable utility tote container fabricated from double-faced corrugated plastic sheet material such as polyethylene, with the planar blank being cut and scored to form a variety of panels which are folded to an upright configuration and permanently secured in that configuration using sonic welds or a similar fastening means. The Stoll '727 tote container additionally discloses handgrip openings and a folded upper rim or shoulder for stacking and reinforcement.
Other types of tote containers fabricated from similar corrugated sheet materials but designed to be utilized in specific situations are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,709,852; 4,919,267; and 4,787,515, which disclose various nesting and stacking features, handle and lid assemblies, and the like.
Various types of tote containers are also known that may be folded or collapsed for storage or shipping. One representative example of such a tote container is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,270 to Stoll. The Stoll '270 tote container is constructed from two oppositely oriented blanks of corrugate sheet material pivotally connected to a metal rim member. The blanks may be folded upwardly to a generally flat configuration, and then snapped downwardly and engaged with one another to lock the tote container in an upright and open configuration.
The above referenced utility tote containers do present some limitations for particular uses. The side walls of the tote containers cannot be opened to permit unrestricted access to the interior receptacle regions from the sides or ends, and the tote containers cannot not be unfastened and folded to a flat configuration approximating the original configuration of the blank or blanks.